Pakistan national airline hopes to resume Europe flights

1/12/2024 17:10

        Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Sunday it expects to resume European routes soon and is eyeing several UK destinations after the EU aviation regulator lifted its bar on the flag carrier.
        
        The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA's authorisation to operate in the EU in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to ensure compliance with international aviation standards.
        
        "PIA plans to approach the UK's Department for Transport (DfT) for UK route resumption, as EASA clearance is a prerequisite for their decision," PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Reuters.
        
        EASA and UK authorities suspended permission for PIA to operate in the region after Pakistan began investigating the validity of pilots' licenses following a deadly plane crash that killed 97 people.
        
        Khan said the airline expects to resume flights to Europe, starting with Paris, within the next three to four weeks.
        
        Once PIA gets approval for UK flights, Khan said London, Manchester, and Birmingham would be the most sought-after destinations.